Melting
by novicedge
Summary: Their romance was not one that'd be told on the big screen. The lead is a unrepentant crook and our heroine, his mute accomplice. In this story of crime and love there can't be a happy ending, just the time they have together. Smiling while tears drip down on their lives' pages like wax off a lit candle.
1. Chapter 1

Neo shimmies closer to the alleyway wall. The fire escape stairway above her doing a poor job of keeping the rain off but she couldn't bring her to find another spot. She looks down at her dented tin can and the few lien in it and sighs softly. The rain the past few days has put a damper on foot traffic and had her scraping money worse then usual. What she had now might be able to net her some fruit and day old bread but for now she was just tired. Her life the past few months had run her haggard and right now laying back and closing her eyes was all she could bring herself to do.

The soft sound of pattering rain was broken however as a person bursts through one of the alley doors and rushes against the wall. A disheveled suited man looked around before more suited men came stepping out, all wielding guns. They clicked their safeties off and the man stopped looking around and looked just at his pursuers. The men split as another man steps out, this one wearing a white suit in contrast to the other's black ones. His hair an orange shade with a fringe covering his eye. Perhaps the most odd thing about him though was how young he looked compared to those around him. That with his posture and the swagger he walked with marked him as the leader.

"R-Roman please! I'm telling you its not me I swear!"

"Really? Cause I'm not too sure, is running away a thing innocent people do nowadays." The man now identified as Roman quirks an eyebrow up.

"Please I swear to god it wasn't-"

His pleas fall on deaf ears however as Roman is currently leaning over a bit and when he stands up straight there's a lit cigarette he's now smoking. He inhales from it once before taking it out of his mouth.

"Fire."

The sound of rain in the grey alleyway is swept sway with the sounds and flashes of gunfire. When the man stops screaming, one of the suited men walks up and puts a finger to his neck. Then he checks through all the suit pockets before ripping open the jacket at the chest, pulling a small device from it.

"You called it sir."

Roman takes another puff from his cigarette, his face reads a smug 'of course I did'. He turns to walk back inside when his eyes come across a bystander sitting to the side, her body closed up as if to make herself as small as possible. He walks up to her and Neo seizes up in fear. But before she's able to make a break for it he's already upon her and drops a few lien in the can.

"This never happened."

Neo continues gaping at the criminal before looking down and seeing the amount of cash this man just casually dropped. Her eyes dart over it and sees that its more than she's scrounges up begging in a month! She goes to rush for it when Roman darts his hand forward and grabs her arm. He pulls her up as Neo futilely tries to pry away from his grasp.

"So tell me. Are you a huntress spy or a police one? I need to know so I can find out where to leave your body."

Neo eyes flash open at his threat, the fear of death put into her. Whatever words Roman was going to say next die in his throat when he takes notice of her eyes. A split where one eye shines pink and the other brown. Roman hmms before continuing.

"Well I can't imagine a policeman putting themselves this close to danger so I guess that leaves huntress?"

Neo stopped trying to escape when she sees she's not getting out of here that easily. Though at the mention of huntresses her glare turns sharper.

"Oh? Not a huntress, academy reject then? …You got anything to say for yourself or are you gonna stay quiet?"

Roman tightens his grip on her wrist as Neo flinches in pain. The only sound she makes however is a weak rasp. Roman looks past her and sees a cardboard sign that she was previous sitting on. Through the water currently soaking it, he can barely see what was written past the atrocious penmanship. Roman loosens his grip and Neo rips back her arm from his grasp.

"Something tells me you're not here by choice. Farm parents ship you out here? Orphanage kick you out? Or maybe you're rich parents disowned you when you wouldn't stay their little doll?"

Neo doesn't even look up. Too scared of the man who's holding her life so casually right now.

"Cause the way I see it you don't have anything else to lose."

Neo now turns up quizzically.

"Show me your semblance. C'mon I know you must have one."

She frowns before closing her eyes and then opening them to meet his gaze. An odd texture appears over her face and when it leaves Roman sees a reflection of himself, or at least one in a funhouse mirror. Neo's façade fails in many ways when viewed up close, from the mouth being too wide, eyes still her shade, etc. She holds it for a few moments before the image blurs and its back to her face.

Roman strokes his chin, thinking on what he's seen before kicking over her tin cup. Neo's face turns to shock then anger but only clenches her fists at his actions. Roman circles around her, ignoring her discomfort.

"So the way I see it… As long as you're alive you're golden. Anyone alive has the chance to get their way out of any problem as long as they have that-" He snaps his fingers. "-spark. The guts do it what it takes to climb back up. Thing is I don't know if I'd call what I'm seeing living. So how bout I make you an offer. You. Work for me."

Neo's mind is scrambling. Eyes drifting from the still fresh corpse lying on the wall, to the armed men waiting for their boss' next order before back to this dangerous stranger.

"I could use someone with your talents. You come with me and you won't have to think twice about lien ever again."

He stops before her. "Course you could always stay out here. I'm sure it won't be too cold in a few months or hell maybe having a little frostbite will help people pity you more."

Neo's face is still cast down. Now clenching only one hand but not making any moves. A few moments pass and Roman turns away, but before he can take another step, Neo has gone and grabbed his hand. Roman smirks at her.

"Good choice."


	2. Chapter 2

Neo lays in her black sleeping bag, or at least that's what she liked to think of it as, staring at the slowly rotating ceiling fan. Her inexperience with her semblance prevented her from acting long-term in her illusions. So her first task was to fool a retinal scanner, simple enough with enough practice. Then to mask an ambush Roman was orchestrating. It was rough and sputtered off in the end but that was enough as the gang known as the Thunders were wiped moments later. Afterwards she was to tear a gang from the inside out. Photos were taken of her in various forms of a rival gang's members colluding with Roman. The group would then tear itself apart as they each believed each other to be the rat in their midst. With his brains and her skills Roman was becoming the rising star in the underground, always seeming to have a leg up on everyone.

The jobs were relatively low-risk for her and didn't require her to personally kill anyone but that was the ticket wasn't it? She was accepted in Roman's group and was paid well for her service. Even the light camaraderie with his goons was more than she thought possible while on those streets begging for change. Regardless she would have to do more. More people to kill, more lives to ruin and Neo wasn't sure how to feel about all that.

Roman opens his scroll to see a message.

"We're on."

Neo closes her eyes as she tries to focus on the picture Roman showed her earlier. Capturing the image of the young girl Eliza from her blonde hair and warm brown eyes. She finishes and looks at Roman for confirmation. He nods and hands her a roll of duct tape, Neo takes it and places a strip tightly over her mouth. Roman zips up the bodybag and his henchman starts recording.

First he turns on a decrepit television set in the corner. Making note of today's news broadcast. He turns and lazily drifts the camera back and forth to show off the poor condition of the room before focusing on Roman softly smiling. Roman motions to the table where the body bag was and pulls it up by the shoulder, the bag squirming the whole time. Opening it to the face of a terrified Eliza. Roman puts a finger to his lips and zips it back up slowly. The camera catching one last shot of her tear soaked face before turning to Roman and cuts off. The henchman fiddles a bit more on the scroll.

"It's done boss." He smirks cruelty. "Bet you anything the poor bastard is singing like a canary right now."

The bag zips open and Neo blinks away the sudden fluorescent lights. When her visions resets she sits up. Roman needed her this time to extract information from a hostage. The man was hardened and wouldn't crack, he was experienced and made sure to make preparations for his family if he was caught. All of that confidence must have flew out the window however when he saw his little girl not outside the city but trapped in a dark room. With that in mind Roman's negotiator would strike a deal, get him to tell them all he needs to know about the Teals and his daughter would be able to leave safe and sound. The hostage already knew he was dead and ensuring his daughter's safety would be all he could bargain for. None the wiser that his wife and daughter were already miles away from here.

Neo might not have pulled the trigger but she might as well of killed him herself. Sinking deeper into this cesspool that was becoming her home by dyeing herself in blood. However despite all that she felt… calm. The same as the last few missions. Hell, she was feeling better than calm. There were no claws of guilt dragging her down just peace and a warmth as Roman put his hand on her shoulder. It reminded her of years ago, of a ruffle of her hair at passing a test with flying colors. But those days were gone. A normal life was ripped away from her and this was her life now.

Roman unzips the bag fully and lends her a hand that she softly slaps away. He shakes his head but he's still smiling as she gets off the table and the group leaves the room, certain to meet up with the others and celebrate a job well done. Despite all the horrible things she had and would have to do, Neo felt that this was where she belonged now.


	3. Chapter 3

Neo hits the floor hard. Her vision a blur of bright lights before a shadow blocks them out. She quickly rolls away, narrowly dodging her opponent's stomp at her throat. She scrambles up to her feet in time for her opponent to go for a wild haymaker that she ducks under. He keeps firing punches but Neo manages to evade all of them until he runs out of breath and stops while she takes the time to back up and make some space between them.

With a lull in the fight the crowd noise is harder to ignore. The jeers and cheers of the 'dignified' high society members and fellow criminals who shared a bond in watching this bloodsport. Their cries of bets and general screaming meshing unpleasantly. Neo tries to tune them out again and focus more on her opponent. A green-haired badger faunus, shirtless which showcased his barrage of scars. Despite his fighting skills speaking to years of combat and training he looks unwell. The faunus looks malnourished in places and his face looks gaunt, looking exhausted even back when the match started. The man's appearance in hits close to Neo.

The faunus has had his fill of his break and leaps forward for a spinning roundhouse kick. Neo tries to block it but it still hits hard. As she staggers she sees he's going for a sideway swipe, his claws glinting in the stage lights but Neo's eyes do as well. Neo leans back causing it to miss and steps forward meeting him almost chest to chest, greeting him with a smirk. The faunus is on tilt from the move but would become more when Neo's semblance activates.

Her face and upper body have now shifted to that of a Beowolf. Neo's opponent finally shows some more expression as it shifts into terror, giving Neo her chance. She spins on her feet and darts behind him. Neo grabs his arm at the elbow and yanks it back. She snakes her other arm around his throat and forces the two down. Cracking his arm against the elbow and choking him out, the fight is now over. The electronic display on one of the room's walls reads the faunus' aura draining until it's clear he can't continue and Neo deactivates her semblance.

Neo stays in position as she know what the crowd wants. They're all in anticipation for her to snap his neck or some other vicious act to cap off the fight but Neo… doesn't really see the point in it. Not mercy, just a lack in motive. She holds the choke long enough until he's passing out to cement that she's won before letting go. She rolls off his body onto her back and kips up onto her feet. The crowd starts booing, denied of more action but they might as well not be here to her. She struts out the cell as she sees Roman out the corner of her eye. Sitting in the stands, softly smiling, looking as pleased as ever.

———

Neo opens the door to Roman's office. She sees him at his deck, arranging lien until he sees her at which point he stops.

"Well if it isn't my favorite customer!"

Neo walks to his desk and bows her head slightly. Roman pushes one of the stacks to her and she quirks an eyebrow at him. Roman shrugs.

"Its called booking fees."

Neo taps a finger on the desk until Roman pushes another stack for her, still fairly jovial.

"That was great match you had out there. Course the crowds are getting a bit sick of you. Not fun seeing the same guy win with the same result each time."

Neo collects her money into her purse and then meets Roman eye-to-eye. A silent agreement as she has an idea of what she might have to do the next bout. She was wary about Roman's suggestion of pit fighting but she couldn't really deny any order he gives. The fights helped keep her on her toes and made her a better fighter. Another reason she was the ace of his group. Roman joked that soon enough she'd be able to take down a whole squad of huntsmen but she had her doubts. It was just Roman's way to heap praise and boast about bigger and better, though hearing those words didn't hurt either. She then walks to the center of the room and sits on Roman's luxurious leather couch. Then turning on the tv to some trashy program.

"*sigh* Y'know if you don't hurry up and find your own place I'm gonna have to start charging rent." Neo still has her eyes glued to the screen, not paying Roman heed. "Course there's always my place. Its got a bed, kitchen and me! What more could you want?"

Neo still hasn't moved but he's sure she rolled her eyes. Roman chuckled a bit before pulling out his scroll, 'work' still to be done. Neo for her part is tuning out the show. Keeping it on to make it look like she's not paying attention to anyone around her. She sees her jacket on the other side of the couch from where she left it and brings it closer to her. She holds it to her chest, admiring how soft it was.

Those cold nights under store-side roofs might as well be a lifetime ago. Her status in the organization keeps her rolling in dough. Hell the only reason she's not in charge of her own crew within the group is her lack of interest in others. There were ways around her inability to speak but she refrained from most of them. With her powers she could probably even ditch this group and start a new one. Leading a mafia powerful enough to bring Vale's underground to its knees and make her the kingpin of it all. But the thought rarely crosses her mind. Sitting here in Roman's office with the sounds of his work filling the room and just waiting for orders was ...enough.


	4. Chapter 4

Neo ducks back behind the car as a shot blows into the edge she was peering around. The gunfire running rampant prevents her from trying anything more drastic let alone having to protect Roman at the same time. He peers over the top of the car and fires a shot from his gun-cane, obliterating one of the shooters cover. They're stunned and open but before Roman can get another clear shot a different shooter hits him right in the shoulder.

Neo's eyes widen as her mouth opens a silent scream. She dives to bring Roman to the floor as more shots rocket into the car. The thought of it wasn't supposed to be like this races in Neo's mind. Roman wasn't even supposed to be here, this was just grunt work at one of his warehouses. He came down to check up on what's what and all the while they could sense a tension in the air. Roman and Neo got behind the best cover they had when the turncoat thugs made their move. They likely were waiting for him to come down without Neo but everything's out the window now. That her and Roman might not make it out to even know who was responsible for this hung bitterly in their minds. Roman's not down for the count however as his glare turns fiercer then earlier. He shoves her aside and gets right back up.

"C'mon! If you shoot this badly I should've fired you a long time ago!"

He's shifted his weapon to his other arm as he continues to takes shots at the arranged mafia members. Neo knows she can't convince him to stay down so for her part creates a barrage of illusion Romans. The real Roman switching places with an illusion when suitable. Neo herself is even taking some shots. She's not experienced enough to make multiple different illusions to cover herself so she focuses on taking down any one who seems to have a shot trained on the real Roman.

"Hold!"

But these guys have worked with Roman and Neo too long to not be ready for it. The traitors all stop firing as one of them throws a grenade. Roman aims a shot at it before it can reach over his cover and the blast rocks the warehouse. Neo is out for a moment before she gets her bearings. The car has turned over and Roman looks down for the count. She goes over and finds his pulse. Her mind at ease, she leans him up against the car as a legion of Neo illusions appear. They all run to rush the thugs but this time Neo runs with them. Her mind burning as she throws herself into the fray. Now up close and personal she is able to take more out whether pistol or more physical attacks. Her enemies not even sure she isn't still with Roman

She stops and looks up and sees one up on a railing about to hit her, she lifts her gun up quickly when an explosion tears through the railing and him. Neo gives a look back and she sees Roman, worse for wear but still standing. Now bodyguard and boss are able to work in tandem and clear out the base.

Neo sees the last one and has an illusion flip over him. While his eyes are trained on the fake, the real Neo rips his gun toward his throat and shoots it before he's able to even know what's happened. The fight is over.

The warehouse has quieted down and the only sounds left are Roman and Neo's strained breaths. He limps over to one of the bodies and pushes it over with his cane so that its lying on its back. Neo is able to catch a glimpse of the guy's face, a memory surfaces of a unfunny joke he told when they were on a mission together to lighten the mood when Roman stomps the corpse's face. Roman keeps going until the face is unrecognizable anymore and starts to almost fall backward when Neo dashes up to support him.

"N-Neo check that one over there."

He props himself right with his cane and she hesitantly lets go. She goes over and delivers a stomp to the man's stomach and the guy comes to, coughing viciously.

"Who are you working for?"

"*hck* That's not for you to k-"

Roman cuts him off by driving the his cane into the mans ankle.

"Tell me!"

"O-Or else what? You'll kill my friends and family? They're already dead! And soon you'll-"

Roman snaps his fingers and Neo silences the dying man. This last gunshot echoing through the building. Neo and Roman turn away and leave the warehouse. Him mumbling plans to himself and her ready to catch him if he falls again.


	5. Chapter 5

Neo keeps her scope trained on her target. Currently looking at him out a window from the building next door, a few floors higher. The man is talking to someone out of her view but she has an idea who is there. Roman was scrambling to weed out anyone connected to those guys and have them taken out. He was never the most trusting person and he tries not to show it but this has shaken him. No one had gotten this close to offing him before and he wanted them done with him quickly and efficiently. And the only one he could trust with this task was Neo.

Neo did feel mixed about having to kill people she knew somewhat personally. One of the guys she ambushed even tried to cut her in on the deal. But that frantic begging were the last words the man uttered. Neo's eyes glance over to her scroll, it open to her messages with Roman. While she had it open earlier for further instructions, currently the page was scrolled far up to show older messages. Of a different set of Roman orders and her responding with pictures of herself in various expressions to communicate. The current one was her smiling with a peace sign held over her fingers. There was nothing stopping her from responding normally but Roman just took it in stride. The only person she still knew that did, the only person in her life that didn't brush her off as the freak with no potential. Neo focuses back on the target and starts to lightly squeeze the trigger. The circumstances around them didn't matter, Roman trusted her and she trusted him, and these men had hurt and betrayed him.

The bullets pierce through the glass window and a brief scream can be heard before the man finally dies. There's a shuffling of movement as orders are barked from inside as illusions come through the broken window. The guys start shooting and from the muzzle flashes Neo has a better idea of where they are. She fires and reloads as body after body falls and she's sure everyone in the room is dead. She drops the rifle and jumps out the window, opening her umbrella to ease her fall and lands in a crouch. She then makes a mad run to the alley-side door. A suited goon opens the door but before he can do anything but Neo jabs her umbrella point into his throat and as he chokes for air, she shoots ending his misery.

She ignores the sound of the corpse hitting the ground as she enters the building, she had just a few more to go and this was over. She steels herself as she prepares to bloody herself again.

—

It took longer than expected but Neo's done it. The last of these worms had been rooted out of Roman's organization. Hopefully the last ever when word comes through the underground as to what happened in particular to them. Neo looks up as she feels a few drops fall on her and she sees that its raining. She winces as she was already using her semblance to disguise herself already and it would be a strain to cover her bloodied umbrella, currently folded to cover said stains. Neo was tired but she was almost there so she just tried to hold out it til then.

She arrives at an apartment complex and steps inside. Then entering the elevator to the third floor. She walks out and down the hall to the right. Roman had hideouts like these all over the city but this was one of the safer ones. She knocks on the door, three times then once before a long pause and then four. Neo hears several clicks and Roman's there at the door. She takes in the sight of him. That trademark confidence he had was subdued, he was coat-less and in his black undershirt. Instead he just seemed tired. Neo couldn't help it but it cut her up to see him like this.

She steps inside and disables her semblance as he closes the door behind them, reenabling all the locks. He turns to her.

"Its done?"

She nods and she can see a weight lift off his shoulders. A bit of the old Roman shining through as he smiles. He pats her on the head. Neo closes her eyes unable to muster a joking roll of the eyes. Just happy to see the real Roman after all this. He walks back to the couch and Neo stands there a bit awkwardly before joining him. Roman pulls a cigar from the table in front of them. He puts it in his mouth and goes to light it but it drops and when he really sees what Neo looks like.

"Neo! Are you all right?"

She provides a soundless chuckle and waves off his concern. However moving her hand so quickly has her flinch, betraying her attempt to ease his concerns. Roman grabs her hand and pulls the glove off. She winces as Roman is able to see the bruises on her right hand.

"Take your coat off."

She pauses for a moment before acquiescing. She leaves her half-coat behind her and folds her arms over her stomach, embarrassed to show Roman the patchwork of cuts and blemishes on her skin. Some from her old life but others fresh from this one.

Roman thought he pushed down all possible feelings of guilt when he became more than a mere crook, but seeing her before him knowing this was his fault rocked him in the pit of his stomach. He clenches his fist as he turns straightforward, unable to bear to look at Neo. The feeling become reciprocal as she feels just as awful in turn. Though he may feel guilt she felt a sort of pride in them. Each scar was proof she was alive and some doubled as a badge of her loyalty. Though he had no way of knowing that. So Neo tried to express it the best way she could.

She taps at his shoulder and he's forced to look back. He goes from her eyes to lower where Roman sees a gun, her holding it from the barrel. Neo presses the gun into his hands and lifts them up until its pointed toward her chest. Roman grips the gun in his trembling hands, his finger never on the trigger. They look at each other as words are exchanged but not spoken.

'My life is yours'


	6. Chapter 6

There was no deep reason for Roman saving Neo. She saw too much and as such she needed to join up with his crew or be put down. Looking into her unique eyes did further his belief that she was something special and seeing her semblance was the last straw in his desire for her. Neo would be his greatest pawn or just another body someone would find in the river.

There was a hesitation at first with her first orders but she followed them through as any underling should. Neo was inexperienced but Roman was nothing if a man without a plan. With patience and covering for her shortcomings, he soon had one of the most powerful assets anyone could ask for. She had become so skilled that pretty soon Neo was the biggest threat to his power.

The thing to do in this kind of scenario was to find something to hold over. What is her weakness and how to exploit it. He'd done this time and again but Roman was at a lost as to what it could be. She accrued enough lien to live the high life but nothing about her seemed like she was beholden to money. Neo never even bought her own place, she tended to just sleep at his office sofa or in the 'company car' he lent her. Her poor life before meeting him meant she likely had no close ties to past friends or family. There wasn't any indication of a desire for revenge or a return to normal life. It was though she shed all that she was and was now completely satisfied with where she was right now. Besides all that, it felt… off to try to find a way to exploit Neo. Regardless of his initial intentions.

And when Roman gently lays the gun back down, it really does hit. Her eyes showed no ounce of deceit of desperation. She was devoted in every sense, mind and body. Though when he sees her determined gaze shift into smile, he feels as though he's gained a look into her heart. Roman rolls a gloved finger through a strand of her hair.

"Neo… what do you want? You want something don't you?"

She seems frozen at this turn of events and he feels good inside knowing he can still get to her. She fumbles with her fingers before poking his chest.

"What do I want? Hn what don't I want?"

He quirks an eyebrow up but makes no move. Letting Neo make her decision as she shifts closer to him, their faces almost touching. This all feeling so odd. He pulled her out of poverty and into the lion's den. She became a murderer and a thief in order to survive and she didn't feel the slightest bit of regret. Right now with him she was alive, which was more than anyone else had made her feel.

She makes the leap and clashes her lips to his in a kiss. It hangs for only a moment but the world pauses. Roman had hardened his heart under a cocky grin and the resolve to break anything that stood in his way. Having someone who felt and trusted him felt uncomfortable. And yet it still felt like the most right thing in his whole damned life.

—

Roman and Neo hung together for the long ride. Regardless of whatever happened around them, they took comfort in knowing there was somebody who cared about someone like them. Even as they helped burn the world around them.


End file.
